Monday, January 13, 2014

Western Force to host Pampas XV in February

Photo Super Sport Tomás Cubelli

Western Australia´s Super Rugby Franchise the Western Force will play two pre-season fixtures in the state capital of Perth against Samoa A and Los Pampas XV it has been confirmed. The matches are to be played on Friday February 7 and Friday February 14 in Rockingham and Joondalup and will serve as important matches for all participants.

The Western Force is preparing for the Super Rugby season which starts on February 15 but the Force will not play until February 23. The Perth based side is looking for improvements after it was the bottom placed team in the Australian conference in 2013 and finished thirteenth out of fifteen in the overall standings.

The two matches will enable the Western Force to prepare ahead of its opening fixture against the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney. For both Samoa A and Los Pampas XV the matches are to be crucial in the lead up to the Pacific Cup which sees the leading domestic based Argentine players debut after previously having played in South Africa´s Vodacom Cup between 2010 and 2013.

The Vodacom Cup resulted in a significant number of players going on to play professional rugby abroad and establish themselves as regulars in Los Pumas. 2014 will be no different as it is hoped that around 70% of the test team can be made up of Pampas players. Featuring will be PladAR Senior Squad members Rodrigo Baez, Santiago Cordero, Matías Cortese, Tomás Cubelli, Javier Orteda Desio, Ramiro Herrera, Facundo Isa, Martín Landajo, Germonimo de la Fuente, Tomás Lavanini, Manuel Montero, Matías Moroni, Ramiro Moyano, Matías Orlando, Bruno Postiglioni, Javier Rojas and Santiago Iglesias Valdes.